Foreign Affairs

Home Office perm sec on the move, with DfT chief Philip Rutnam taking the reins at Marsham Street

Nine days after his appointment as permanent secretary of the Department of Energy & Climate Change, Alex Chisholm suddenly found himself running the newly-formed Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Here he talks merging ministries, Brexit and championing both business and consumers with Sam Macrory

Cressida Dick set to leave Foreign Office director general role to return to policing

Ministers brace for parliamentary "ping pong" as peers scrutinise Brexit bill

Departmental data release breaks down £583m spend on foreign outposts during 2015-16

Former Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs perm sec Bronwyn Hill tells CSW that Brexit offers the chance to rethink UK's rural subsidy system

Government rejects think tank's calculations which suggest the UK missed target to spend 2% of GDP on defence thanks to unexpectedly strong economic growth

Ex-first civil service commissioner Sir David Normington calls for new guidance on the relationship between civil servants, ministers and special advisers, as he urges the prime minister and cabinet secretary to make a public statement on the need for impartial officials

DfID's first Conservative secretary of state warns of "unprecedented attack from elements of the media" on the department's work to help the world's poorest

The UK’s former ambassador to the EU warns MPs of a “diminution of Whitehall attention” on ongoing EU policy matters as the pressures of planning for Brexit rise

International trade secretary pushes back against Lord O'Donnell and Sir Andrew Cahn's House mag and CSW comments on the work of his new ministry

First Civil Service Commissioner Ian Watmore tells CSW that departments will now be able to bring in senior staff for up to three years and on a maximum salary of £142,000 without having to go through an open recruitment process

Ministry of Defence perm sec Stephen Lovegrove offers "expertise" to DExEU as Whitehall readies for Brexit – but downplays impact of European Union departure on the MoD's own work

 But devolved parliaments in Holyrood, Cardiff and Stormont will not get binding votes on Article 50

As Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States, Kings College London research fellow Joe Devanny looks at the tensions that arise between administrations and considers parallels with Whitehall

"No deal for Britain is better than a bad deal for Britain," says prime minister in major Chatham House address

Public Accounts Committee warns councils and refugees are confused by responsibilities and entitlements

Scheme delivers strong value for money and has exceeded targets, Independent Commission for Aid Impact says, but officials could do more to help national governments improve the way cash is delivered

UK's current consul general in New York heading back to Whitehall as perm sec, as DIT makes plans to bolster top team with "expert" second-in-command

UK's current consul general in New York set for Whitehall return, according to reports

The recent attacks on the civil service paint it as being incapable of making Brexit work. But senior officials are increasingly alarmed that the government is forcing them into positions that make them look stupid and out of control

Exclusive: Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee chairman says Brexiteers' calls for a clear-out of the civil service are "complete rubbish" — but attacks interventions of former permanent secretaries in wake of EU ambassador's resignation

Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee chairman also warns former top officials against playing into the "stereotype" of a Europhile civil service

FCO political director on the move to take on top Brussels job, amid row over civil service impartiality